Electroplating apparatus.



No. 772,102. l I PATEN'IED 00T. 11, 1904.

' W. R. KING.

ELBGTROPLATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8. 1904. A

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v ATTORN EY No. 772,102. PATENTED 00T. ll, 1904.

W. R. KING. BLBGTROPLATING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 8, 1904.

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ATTORNEY PATENTBD 00T. 11, 1904.

W. 11. KING. ELBGTROPLATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8. 1904.

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WITNESSES.'

PATENTED 00T. 11, 1904.

W. R. KING.. Y ELBGTROPLATING APPARATUS..

APPLICATION FILED FEBLS. 1904.

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:LT1 ,l I BY l ATTOR EY UNITED STATES Patented October 11, 1904."

PATENT OEEICE.

WILLIS R. KING, OE NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE HANSON &

VAN WINKLE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTROPLATING YAPPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 772,102, dated October 11, 1904.

i Application filed February/19.04. Serial No. 192,494. (No model.)

To LZZ whomV it may concern,.- y Be it known ,that I, WILLIS R. KING, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electroplating Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be that class of electroplating apparatus comprising a rotatable drum, cylinder, or basket, usually termed a container, in which the articles which are to be plated are placed, the said drum, cylinder, or basket revolving with a power-driven shaft on which suitable contacts or cathode-bars are arranged and suspended and are adapted to be brought in electrical contact with the particles placed in the said drum, cylinder, or basket.

The invention has for its primary object to provide an electroplating apparatus for the electrodeposition of metals upon small articles with a view of producing' a simple and easy-manipulated means for placing the drum, cylinder, or basket in the tank which contains the electrolyte and for its ready removal from the tank without directly connecting the drum, cylinder, or basket by means of a driving-belt which passes around the said drum, cylinder, or basket and lover a pulley connected with the framework of the apparatus or tank for producing the rotary movement of the drum, cylinder, or basket, and which belt has to be first removed from the pulley and the said drum, cylinder, or basket when the same is to be lifted from the tank after the -articles have been plated.

' A further 'object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of the character above `stated with a removably-arranged revolving or rotatable drum, cylinder, or basket which can be 'quickly lifted from the tank without disturbing or interfering with the parts of `the driving mechanism, thus saving time in .manipulation and avoiding all danger to life or limb, as is possible where it becomes nec.

cles, which apparatus shall be of a simple, u. cheap, and effective construction, andthe parts of which are of such mechanical con-v struction that they can bev employed with any ordinary electroplating-tank.

Other objects of'tliis invention not yattliis l time more especially mentioned will be clearly evident f-rom the' following detailed description of the invention.

The invention consists, primarily, in the novel electroplating apparatus hereinafter more particularly set forth, and, furthermore, this invention consists in the various arrangements and combinations of the devices and parts, as Well as in the details of the construction of the same, all of which will bemore fully described in the following specification and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim which are appended to and which form an esssential part of this specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a plan or top view of an appa-c ratus embodying the principles of my present invention. Fig. 2 is a fr ont elevation, and F ig. 3 an end elevation, of the apparatus. Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical section of the apparatus, the said section being taken through line 4 4 in said Fig. l; and Eig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of the apparatus,

Vthe said section being taken on line 5 5 in said Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrow Fig. 6 is a horizontal section in detail and upon an enlarged scale of a portion of the tank, a part of the end Wall of the drum, cylinder, or basket, and one form of driving for revolving' the same.

tie-bolts 6, as will be clearly evident.

means which is separably connected with the said parts of the drum, cylinder, or basket Fig'. 7 is a perspective view of one of the contacts or cathode-bars arranged upon the main shaft of the drum, cylinder, or basket; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of contact or cathode-bar. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the drum, cylinder, or basket with its supporting-frame for hanging or suspending it in the tank or vat which contains the electrolyte, the parts being represented in their removed relation from the tank. Fig'. 9n is a perspective view of the connecting end of the said shaft of the cylinder, drum, or basket. Fig. 19 is a Vertical sectional representation in detail of a portion of the tank and a part of the end wall of the drum, cylinder, or basket, illustrating a modied form of driving means for separably connecting the parts of the drum, cylinder, or basket with a driving means.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above-described views to indicate corresponding parts.

In the said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates a suitable plating tank or vat adapted to contain a suitable electroplating solution, the said tank or vat comprising a base 2, sides 3, and ends 4 and 5, all of which' are suitably connected and may be tied Swith uitably secured and held, preferably by means of fastenings, as 7, upon the upper edges of the ends 4 and 5 or other suitable portions of the tank 1 are one or two/anode-bars 8 and 9, from which the usual anodes are to be suspended in the solution in the tank, the said bars 8 and 9 being connected by means of a rod 10 or other suitable connection and one of the said bars, as 9, being connected, by means of the wire 11', with the positive terminal of an electric generator. Of course it will be evident that 'but one anode-bar may be ernployed, in which case the rod 10 may be dispensed with; but the arrangement of the two rods 8 and 9 and the rod 10 is the preferred form, as thereby a greater number of anodes can be immersed in the electrolytic solution inl the tank or vat 1. Extending across the said tank or vat and suspended in suitably-arranged bearings or other supporting means in the sides 3 are a pair of supporting rods or bars 11 and 12, between which and from which is suspended, as will be presently more fully described, the plating drum, cylinder, or basket in which the articles which are to be electroplated are placed. The two cross bars or rods 11 and 12 are suitably connectedby means of a rod 13 or other-suitable connection, and one of the said rods or bars, as 11,

is connected, by means of a wire 14, with the negative terminal of the electric generator.`

Upon each rod or bar 11 and 12 are a pair of collars 15, substantially as illustrated and for the purposes of properly centering the drum, cylinder, or basket in the tank 1 in the manner and for the purposes to be presently described.

In one of the ends, as 5, of the tank 1 is arranged a bearing 16, provided with a stufngbox 17, in which is rotatively arranged a short spindle 18, having an enlarged end portion 19 arranged against that portion of the bearing 16 upon the inner surface of the end 5 of the tank, as clearly illustrated, the said enlarged end portion 19 being provided with a transverse slot or opening 20. Upon the opposite end portion ofthe said spindle 18 and outside of the tank 1 there is suitably affixed a pair of driving pulleys or wheels 21 and 22, the wheel 22 being usually provided in its rim with an opening 23, which is in alinement with the transverse slot or opening 20 in the portion 19 of the spindle 18, `as will be noticed from an inspection of Fig. 6 of the drawings. The purpose of this guide-opening 23 in the pulley or wheel 22 is to provide a means by which the operator before starting and stopping the mechanism of the apparatus can cause the transverse slot or opening 2O in the enlarged portion 19 of the spindle 18 to stand in its vertical position, as will be clearly evident from an inspection of Figs. 4, 5, and 6 of the drawings.

Coming now to the drum,cylinder,or basket, the same is indicated by the reference character 24, and it is made of any suitable nonconducting material. This container 24 is preferably made in the form of a wicker-work basket, but may be a cylinder or drum of wood or the like, and it is provided with the end pieces or plates 25, preferably formed with suitably-disposed perforations or holes 26 and with bearings 27 and 28. The said container or basket 24 is also provided with a wickerwork or other suitably-constructed cover or lidl 29, arranged over an opening and provided with suitable fastening devices,such as thumbscrews 30 or other fastening means, for removably securing the said lid or cover over IOO IIO

the open portion of the said container or basket. The said container or basket 24 is provided with a centrally-arranged shaft 31, to which it is fixed against lateral movement on said shaft by means of a set-screw 32 or other suitable fastening means. The one end of the said shaft 31 is made with a flattened end member 33, to the opposite sides of which are secured in any suitable manner suitable plates 34 of insulating material, the combined thickness of said end member 33 and plates 34 being such that they can be readily arranged in the transverse slot or opening 20 of the enlarged part 19 of the driving-spindle 18. The said container or basket 24 is suspended in its operative position in the tank 1 by means of a suspension-frame of any desired construction, but preferably comprising a center bar or lift 35, having a cross-rod 36 at each end,

relation within the said suspension-frame, as

will be clearly evident. The said arms 37 are provided with hook-shaped or other suitablyformed holding portions 39, which are arranged over the previously-mentioned bars or rods 11 and 12 and between the collars or centering' devices 15 on'said bars or rods, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. When the container or basket 24 and .its suspensionframe have been arranged in their suspended position in the tank or vat 1 from the bars or .rods 11 and 12, the flattened member 33 and plates 34 are fitted directly in the previously vertically disposed slot or opening 20 in the enlarged portion or member 19 `of the spindle 18. The container or basket 24 and its shaft 31 are thus operatively connected Vwith the said spindle 18, and when the latter is operated from either of the pulleys or wheels 21 or 22 the said container or basket 24 will be caused to revolve between the bearings 38 of the suspension-frame. y

Upon that portion of the shaft 31 within the container or basket 24 there may be loosely arranged any suitable number of contacts 40, each Contact, as is indicated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, comprising a hub 41, provided with any suitable number of radially-extending arms 42 or, as isr illustrated in Fig. 8, each contact comprising' a hub 43 and one or more hook-shaped arms 44. The hubs of the said contacts when arranged upon the shaft 31 are separated from each other by means of separating-collars 45, of wood or any other suitable material.

From an inspection of the several figures lof the drawings it will be clearly seen that when the basket or container 24 has been arranged in the electroplating solution in the tank or Avat 1 and is operatively connected with the driving-spindle 18 and the wires 11l and 14 are attached to the `terminals of` the electric generator a complete electric circuit is established from the wire 11l through the bars 9 and 8 and the connection 10, the anodessuspended from said bars 9 and 8, the solution in` the tank, the contacts 40, the shaft 31, the

arms 37, the bars 11 and 12, and their connection 13 into the wire 14 and back to the negative terminal of the generator, and any articles placed in the container or basket 24, with which the arms of the contacts are brought in constant engagement during the revolutions of the container or basket, will become thoroughly electroplated with the metal, as desired.

Aside from the fact that the plates 34 provide a suitable insulation between the shaft 31 and the driving-spindle 18 another purpose of these plates 34 is to prevent the deposit of the metal upon the flattened portion 33 of the shaft 31, whereby in time the said fiattened end portion would become plated with metal coatings of sufHcient thickness to prevent the operative and separable relation between the shaft 31 andthe driving-spindle 18.

The operation of the apparatus for plating briefly is as follows: The container or basket is removed from the tank 1, and the articles to receive the deposit of metal are placed in the same. After closing and tightening the lid or cover the container or basket is placed in the tank and is suspended therein by means of the suspension-frame from the bars or rods 11 and l2. A revolving movement is then communicated, by means of' the spindle 18, to the container or basket 24, as has been hereinabove set forth, and the articles within the container or basket are thus brought in contact with the arms of the contacts 40 and will soon receive the deposit of metal.

From the foregoing description of my invention it will be clearly evident that I have devised a simple and effectivelyoperating mechanism for plating the articles, the container or basket and its suspension-frame being'such that it can be lifted in and out of the tank or vat 1 without having to disconnect belts or without having to disturb any parts of the other mechanism of the device, and the great advantage is that the invention can be applied to existing plating tanks or vats of the various kinds now in general use.

In Fig. 10 I have represented a modified means o f operative connection between the shaft 31 and the driving-spindle 18. In this instance the free end of the shaft 31 has secured thereto a suitably-constructed clutchboX 46, and slidably arranged upon the end portion 47 of the driving-spindle 18 is a clutcharm 48, adapted to be moved by means of a lever 49 for bringing said clutch-sleeve 48 in itsr operative engagement with the clutch-box,

and thereby operatively connecting the shaft 31 with the driving-spindle 18. Thus it will be evident that4 by the proper manipulation of the lever 49 the shaft 31 can be connected with or disconnected from the spindle 18 without stopping the driving power and the container or basket and its suspension-frame can be removed from the plating-tank or placed back therein without having to stop and then start the power which drives the spindle 18.

I am aware that changes may be made in the arrangements and combinations of the devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, without departjing from the scope of my present invention.

IOO

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burnishing, the combination, with la tank, of a container or basket 1n said tank, a shaft upon which said container or basket is aiiixed, said' container or basket and said shaft both being removable from said tank, a spindle rotatively arranged in one end of said tank, said spindle being in alinement with said shaft when the container yor basket is placed in the tank, and thereby provides a direct and continuous length of shafting, and a means of separable connection between said spindle and said shaft, substantially as and for the purposes `set forth.

2. In an apparatus for cleaning, plating and burnishing, the combination, with a tank, of a container or basket in said tank, a shaft upon which said container or basketis alfixecha spindle rotatively arranged in one end of said tank, and a means of separable connection between said spindle and said shaft, consisting, of a slotted end portion on saidv spindle, and a flattened member on said shaft removably arranged inthe slot of said end portion, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an apparatus for cleaning, plating and burnishing, the combination, with a tank, of a container or basket in said tank,a shaft upon which said container or basket is afixed,aspin dle rotatively arranged in one end of said tank, and a means of separable connection between said spindle and said shaft, consisting, of a slotted end portion on said spindle, and a flattened member on Vsaid shaft removably arranged in the slot of said end portion, and insulating means secured to said flattened member of the shaft, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In an apparatus for cleaning, plating and burnishing, the combination, with a tank, of a suspension-frame removable from said tank, said frame being'v provided with bearings, a container or basket connected with said frame, a shaft in the bearings of said frame upon which the said container or basket is affixed, a spindle rotatively arranged in one end of said tank, said spindle being in alinement with said shaft when the container yor basket is placed in the tank, and thereby provides a direct and continuous length of shafting, and a means of separable connection between said spindle and said shaft, substantially as and.

for the purposes set forth.

5. In an apparatus for cleaning, plating and burnishing, the combination, with a tank, of a suspension-frame removable from said tank,

said frame being provided with bearings, a container or basket connected with said frame, a shaft in the. bearings of said frame upon which the said container or basket is aflixed, a spindle rotatively arranged in one end of said tank, and a means of separable connection between said spindle and said shaft, consisting of a slotted end portion on said spindle, and a flattened member on said shaft removably arranged in the slot of said end portion, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In an apparatus for cleaning, plating and burnishing, the combination, witha tank, of a suspension-frame removable from said tank, said frame being provided with bearings, a container or basket connected with said frame, a shaft in the bearings of said frame upon which the said container or basket is aflixed, a spindle rotatively arranged in one end of said tank, and a means of separable connection between said spindle and said shaft, consisting of a slotted end portion on said spindle, a flattened member on said shaft removably arranged in the slot of said end portion, and insulating means secured to said flattened member of the shaft, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7 In an apparatus for cleaning, plating', and burnishing, the combination, with a tank, of a pair of electrically-connected supportingbars in said tank, a suspension-frame removably suspended from said bars, said frame being provided with bearings, a container or basket, a shaft in the bearings of said frame upon which the said container or basket is affixed, a spindle rotatively arranged in one end of said tank, and a means of separable connection between the said spindle and said shaft, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In an apparatus for cleaning, plating', and burnishing, the combination, with a tank, of a pair of electrically-connected supportingbars in said tank, a suspension-frame removably suspended from said bars, said frame being provided with bearings, a container or basket, a shaft in the bearings of said frame upon which the said container or basket is affixed, a spindle rotatively arranged in one end of said tank, and a means of separable connection between the said spindle and said shaft, consisting, of a slotted end portion on said spindle, and a flattened member on said shaft removably arranged in the slot of said end portion, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. yIn an apparatus for cleaning, plating, and burnishing, the combination, with a tank, of a pair of electrically-connected supportingbars in said tank, a suspension-frame removably suspended from said bars, said frame being provided with bearings, a container or basket, a shaft in the bearings of said frame upon which the said container or basket is af- IOO IOS

ITO

fixed, a spindle rotatively arrangedin one end of said tank, a means of separable connection between the said spindle and said shaft, consisting, of a slotted end portion on said spindie, and a flattened member on said shaft removably arranged in the slot of said end portion, and insulating means secured to said flat-v tened member of the shaft, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. In an apparatus for cleaning,plating and burnishing, the combination, with a tank, of a .pair of electrically-connected supportingbars in said tank, a suspension-frame comprising a lift-bar, a cross-rod at each end of said lift-bar, arms extending from said crossrods, and a bearing at the lower end of each pair of said downwardly extending arms, hook-shaped supporting portions connected with said frame for suspending it from said supporting-bars in the tank, a shaft in said bearings, and a container or basket affixed to said shaft, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. In an apparatus for cleaning, plating and burnishing, the combination, with a tank, of a pair of electrically-connected supporting-bars in said tank, a suspension-frame comprising a lift-bar, a cross-rod at each end of said liftbar, arms extending from said cross-rods, and a bearing at the lower end of each pair of said downwardly-extending arms, hook -shaped supporting portions connected with said frame for suspending it from said supporting-bars in the tank, a shaft in said bearings, and a means of revolution for revolving said shaft and the container or basket with which said shaft is separably connected, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

1 2. In an apparatus for cleaning, plating and burnishing, the combination,with a tank, of a pair of electrically-connected supporting-bars in said tank, a suspension-frame,comprising a lift-bar, a cross-rod at each end of said liftbar, arms extending from said cross-rods, and a bearing at the lower end of each pair of said downwardly extending arms, hook shaped supporting portions connected with said frame for suspending it from said supporting-bars in the tank, a shaft in said bearings, a container or basket affixed to said shaft, a spindle rotatively arranged in one end of said tank,

and a means of separable connection between the said spindle and said shaft, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

18. V In an apparatus for cleaning,plating and burnishing, the combination,with a tank, of a pair of electrically-connected supporting-bars in said tank, a suspension-frame comprising a lift-bar, a cross-rod at each end of said liftbar, arms extending from said cross-rods, and a bearing at the lower end of each pair of said downwardly extending arms, hook shaped supporting portions connected with said frame for suspending it from said supporting-bars in the tank, a shaft in said bearings, a container or basket affixed to said shaft, a spindle rotativelyv arranged in oneA end of said tank, and a means of separable connection between the said spindle and said shaft, consisting, of a slotted end portion in said spindle, and a flattened member on said shaft removably arranged in the slot of said end portion, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

14e. In an apparatus for cleaning,plating and burnishing, the combination, with a tank, of a pair of electrically-connected supporting-bars in said tank, a suspension-frame comprising a lift-bar, a cross-rod at each end of said liftbar, arms extending from said cross-bars, and a bearing at the lower end of each pair of said downwardly extending arms, hook shaped supporting portions connected with said frame for suspending it from said supporting-bars in the tank, a shaft in said bearings, a container or basket affixed to said shaft, a spindle rotatively arranged in one end 4of said tank, and a means of separable connection between the said spindle and said shaft, consisting, of a slotted end portion in said spindle, a fiattened member on said shaft removably arranged in the'slot of said end portion, and insulating means secured to said flattened member of said shaft, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

15. An apparatus for cleaning, plating and burnishing, comprising a tank, a pair of electrically-connected anode-supporting bars, ay

second pair of electrically-connected supporting-bars, a suspension-frame removably suspended from said second pair of bars, a container or basket connected with said frame, means on said second pair of bars for centering the container or basket in said tank, and a means of revolution for revolving said container or basket with which the said container or basket is separably connected, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

16. An apparatus for cleaning, plating and burnishing, comprising a tank, a pair of electrically-connected anode-supporting bars, a second `pair of electrically-connected supporting-bars,` `a suspension-frame removably suspended from said second pair of bars, said frame being provided with bearings, a shaft in said bearings, and a container or basket affixed to said shaft, a spindle rotatively arranged in one end of said tank, andv a means of separable connection between the said spindle and said shaft, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

17. An apparatus for cleaning, plating and burnishing, comprising a tank, a pair of electrically-connected `anode-supporting bars, a second pair of electrically-connected supporting-bars, a suspension-frame removably suspended from said second pair of bars, said frame being provided with bearings,. a shaft in said bearings, a container or basket afiixed to said shaft, a spindle rotatively arranged in one end of said tank, and a means of separa- IOO IIO

ble connection between the said spindle and said shaft, consisting', of a slotted end portion on said spindle, and a iattened member on said shaft removably arranged in the slot of said end portion, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

18. An apparatus forcleaning, plating and burnishing, Comprising a tank, a pair of eleotrically-oonneoted anode-supporting bars, a second pair of electrically-connected supporting-bars, a suspension-frame removably suspended from said second pair of bars. said frame being provided With bearings, a shaft in said bearings, a container or basket affixed to said shaft, a spindle rotatively arranged in 

